Difference between revisions of "Korea"
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A country that is split into [[North Korea]] and [[South Korea]] | A country that is split into [[North Korea]] and [[South Korea]] | ||
because of the issue of communism. The United States and 15 other countries | because of the issue of communism. The United States and 15 other countries | ||
| − | came to the aid of [[South Korea]], the half which had been assaulted first. | + | came to the aid of [[South Korea]], the half which had been assaulted first. |
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| + | ==Language and Writing== | ||
| + | Although some spelling or words are slighlty different between countries, the official language of both South Korea and North Korea is Korean. Five major dialects in South Korea and one in North Korea are mutually understandable among speakers from different areas. <ref>http://www.todaytranslations.com/index.asp-Q-Page-E-Korean-Language-History--31760371</ref> For more than 2,000 years a Chinese system of writing has been known to Koreans. The Chinese system of writing was widely used during Chinese occupations. After the fifth century AD, Koreans devised three different systems for writing Korean with Chinese characters. (The Japanese systems are were similar to these thus Japanese writing is probably modelled on the Korean system.) King Sejong (r.1418-1450) invented the Korean alphabet in 1444. The korean alphabet has been called many different names. Originally called "The correct sounds for the instruction of the people", or ''Hunmin jeongeum'' in Korean, the alphabet was also known as "vulgar script", or ''Eonmeun'' or more politely "national writing" or ''Gukmeun''. Ju Si-gyeong (Korean linguist b. 1876 d. 1914) coined ''Hangul/Hangol/Hangeul'' the modern name for the Korean character set. <ref>http://www.omniglot.com/writing/korean.htm</ref> | ||
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The [[Korean War]] (1950-53) | The [[Korean War]] (1950-53) | ||
Revision as of 12:52, April 5, 2007
A country that is split into North Korea and South Korea because of the issue of communism. The United States and 15 other countries came to the aid of South Korea, the half which had been assaulted first.
Language and Writing
Although some spelling or words are slighlty different between countries, the official language of both South Korea and North Korea is Korean. Five major dialects in South Korea and one in North Korea are mutually understandable among speakers from different areas. [1] For more than 2,000 years a Chinese system of writing has been known to Koreans. The Chinese system of writing was widely used during Chinese occupations. After the fifth century AD, Koreans devised three different systems for writing Korean with Chinese characters. (The Japanese systems are were similar to these thus Japanese writing is probably modelled on the Korean system.) King Sejong (r.1418-1450) invented the Korean alphabet in 1444. The korean alphabet has been called many different names. Originally called "The correct sounds for the instruction of the people", or Hunmin jeongeum in Korean, the alphabet was also known as "vulgar script", or Eonmeun or more politely "national writing" or Gukmeun. Ju Si-gyeong (Korean linguist b. 1876 d. 1914) coined Hangul/Hangol/Hangeul the modern name for the Korean character set. [2]
The Korean War (1950-53)
devastated the south, but it bounced back to become one of the four Asian Tigers.